As tensions rise in the Middle East following military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran, social media users around the world have found an unexpected figure appearing in viral memes – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
As the ongoing conflict centers on the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, netizens have humorously cast Kim as an outsider watching global events from the sidelines.
Memes circulating widely online portray him as a curious observer of the escalating situation. In several viral posts, Kim is shown looking through binoculars or staring at a screen, accompanied by captions such as: “Are you watching the situation son?”
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The joke reflects the contrast between Kim’s frequent missile demonstrations and his absence from the current geopolitical conflict dominating global headlines.
Some memes suggested that the North Korean leader may be experiencing “FOMO” – fear of missing out – despite having what users jokingly referred to as “the best toys for war”.
Check out some memes here:
One user wrote, “Kim Jung Un seeing something like a missile across the sky but it turns out to be a shooting star.”
“Kim Jong-UN waiting for missile to land in North Korea,” the meme read.
The humorous trend quickly spread across platforms, with thousands of users sharing edits and jokes imagining Kim watching the unfolding crisis from afar.
Conflict over memes
The viral trend comes amid serious developments in the Middle East.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military campaign called “Operation Epic Fury” targeting Iran’s military facilities, nuclear infrastructure, and command posts.
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The strikes in Tehran have reportedly confirmed the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military and political figures.
Iran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US military bases and civilian infrastructure across parts of the Gulf region, including the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
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Former US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the aim of the operation was to “permanently block” Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons and eliminate its missile capabilities.
Iran’s Red Crescent says at least 555 people have died in Iran since the strikes began. Meanwhile, the US military confirmed that four US service members were killed in the conflict.
Internet way of processing global events
Despite the gravity of the geopolitical crisis, the internet has once again responded with humor and turned global developments into viral content.
While the Kim Jong-un memes have become widespread, they highlight how social media often mixes humor with real-world events — even during times of intense international tension.
(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified and does not endorse these claims.)
